Foodie Vocab #20: Au Poivre

Every Friday at Chew on That, we test your foodie vocabulary by quizzing you on a new foodie word and supply delicious recipes to match!

This week’s word is: au Poivre (adjective). Pronounced: \ō-ˈpwäv(rə)\

Please choose the most appropriate definition for au Poivre:

a.) Covered with bread crumbs or grated cheese and browned (as under a broiler).
b.) Garnished with fruit or vegetables that are cooked until tender in a seasoned liquid.
c.)
d.) Served with a generous amount of usually coarsely ground black pepper.

BONUS: Every week I choose definitions that resemble other foodie vocab words. For extra credit, identify the other definitions being used. Find the answers in next week’s foodie vocab!

If you chose d.) Served with a generous amount of usually coarsely ground black pepper, then you are correct!

Almost always seen as steak au poivre (filet mignon to be exact), this peppercorn sauce is a French technique. The steak au poivre pictured above comes from The Bitten Word and Martha Stewart Living. You can see the peppercorn crust on the steak adding great flavor to the beef.

The great part about steak au poivre is that even though it sounds fancy, it can be simple and inexpensive to make! Try the following great recipes for steak au poivre:

Heat the beef broth in a small saucepan. Mix the water and cornstarch and whisk into broth. Simmer for 15 minutes and set aside. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Place the pepper on a plate and gently press each steak (on both sides) into the spice. Add to the pan and cook to desired temperature. Remove the steaks. Remove the pan from the flame. CAREFULLY add the bourbon or brandy. Allow to cook off the flame for 30 seconds. Return to heat and watch for flame-ups (the alcohol should burn off to remove undesirable flavors). Add the beef broth sauce and heat for 30 seconds. Serve over steak.

a.) A light slightly sweet French bread made with a rich yeast dough.= Brioche
b.) An egg-rich yeast-leavened bread that is usually braided or twisted before baking and is traditionally eaten by Jews on the Sabbath and holidays = Challah
c.) A brown crust formed on food that has been cooked au gratin; also : a dish so cooked = Gratin
d.) A flaky confection of crushed sesame seeds in a base of syrup (as of honey) = Halva

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on Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 10:16 am and is filed under food vocab.
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